Sheet-tracking device.



Patehted July 10, 1917.

A. SCHUMACHER & H1 DOLL. SHEET TRACKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION men JULY 5. 1913.

- pianos.

"itrwsrscamiaa; o New sniinr' -rnacxiive nnvron.

To all whom it may concern; k Beitknown thatl, Auo-usrSoHu AoHnn, a subject Qfthe E peror of Germany, residing at New Rochelle, county of Westchester, State; of New, Yorln andI, IIENRY DOLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at the Bronx, in. the county of New York and State of New York,- have invented certain new and. useful Improvementsin Sheet- Tracking Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

Our invention relatesto improvements in means for guiding or tracking perforated sheets over a tracking device and has particular reference to means whereby the tracker barmay be maintained perfectly stationary and whereby the tubes connected thereto and to the valve mechanism thereof may be made of rigid material instead of using. rubber tubing to facilitate the movementof the bar as somewhat generally employed in the tracking devices of player Our invention has particular reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in its application: to the automatic tracking mechanism-of a player piano.

In said accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in front elevation with, parts broken away, an application of our invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional detail showing certain modifications. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the valve mechanism shown in plan view in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view looking upwardly at F'g. 3, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

5 is the outer the music spools 6 and 7 are suitably mounted as shown, and 8 is the perforated sheet of music wound upon the same. The spindle 9 of the upper spool 6 it will be observed is projected toward the right by the coil spring 10 upon the end of the lever 11 which in turn is projected toward the left by the spring 12 held in position by the ad ustable sleeve 13 mounted thereupon. 14. is a suitable bracket suitably attached to the frame or box 5 and upon which is pivotally mounted the lever 15 which is also pivotally mounted as shown at the end of the bar 11 and at its opposite extremity to the connecting bar 16 which in turn is pivotally mounted to the pneumatic 17, said pneumatic being connected to the pneumatic 18 by the bar Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed July 8', 1913. Serial No. 777,926.

frame or box within which" UN TED STAIE 'PAT OFFICE nociintrn, Am; HENRY DOLL, ornnvv m g, N. Y.

Patented July, 1c, 1917.

19 as shown. 20 indicates by which air is exhausted matics, and 21-22 indicate nected to the pneumatics l7 thevalve mechanism to be ferred to. y 23is the tracker bar which is preferably immovably secured to the frame or box 5 by any suitable means such as the screws 2424L, and referring to the form of valve mechanism illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, it will be observed that the slidable base portion 25 of the valve mechanism is provlded with an engaging key 26 which is within the V-groove 27 of the tracker 23. 28 is a suitable bracket or support for the tracker 23 within which is mounted the finger shaft 29 carrying the pinion 30. The underside of the slidable base portion 25 of the valve it will be observed is cut with teeth engaged by the teeth mounted upon or secured to said fingershaft 29. This finger shaft 29 being mounted within the, braoket 28 uponlth e tracker 23, when rotated will cause said sliding. base member 25 of the valve to shift laterally thereby carrying everything shown in Fig. 3 with it, except the'tracker bar itself, and by this means it will be observed that the valve may be adjusted to or from the edge of the perforated sheet, thus accommodating different widths of paper and without moving the tracker bar itself.

The tubes 2122 leading from the pneumatics 17l8 it will be observed communicate through the slidable base 25 of the valve and by the ports therein as shown to better advantage in Figs. 2 and 3. These ports it will be observed are closed by the slide member 33 provided with the engaging flange 34 which normally engages the edge of the paper. The spring 35 upon the bearing 36 it will be observed normally maintains the slide 33 in the position shown in Fig. 3. However, should the edge of the sheet bear easily against the flange 34, the tube 21 is open to the port 36 therebyallowing air to enter the pneumatic which in turn shifts the spool 6 so eliat flie perforations in the sheet are again brought into registration with the perforations in tracker bar. other hand, s fhe edge of the paper recede from7tli' ection 34, the spring 35 causes the slide 33 tofollow the same thus from the pneuthe tubes conand 18 and to hereinafter reslidably mounted of the pinion .32

the exhaust tube such as 31 which are 1 the atmosphere through valve can be adjusted to ht the varying widths of paper and will cause the pneumatics'to shift the spools and correct registration whenever the sheet shifts out of alinement due to bad tracking or uneven cutting of the sheet. The spring 38 it will be observed serves to seat the slide 33 upon the adjustable base 25.

39 indicates a fixed attachment of the tracker bar which serves as a cover or protection for the ports and as a support for the spring 38 which keeps the slide 33 seated. 40'indicates a screw by which the same may be secured, and 41 another fixed portion in the form of a block which may be secured by the screw 42. 43 to 46 inclusive indicate enlarged cut-away portions between the tubes k 2-122 and the perforations through the slide member 25, thus allowing for a continuance of passage even though the slide member 25 is shifted with reference to the block 41, and 48 indicates the end of the covering member 39 and allows for the passage of air between said end and the edge engaging flange 34.

Of courseit will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as clfai ne a We claim:

1. In combination with a tracker bar hav ing ports communicating with a pneumatic, an adjustable support having ports comcopies at this patent may be obtained for municating with said first mentioned ports,

a sliding valve upon said adjustable su port adapted to uncover said ports of sin adjustable support, means in combination's therewith for shifting amusic roll, said ad-l j'ustable support adapted to be mounted to} 2. In combination with a tracker bar hav- 1 ing ports communicatin with a pneumatic, an adjustable support aving ports communicating with said first mentioned ports, a sliding valve upon said adjustable support adapted to uncover one of said ports of said adjustable support when moved in one direction and the other of said ports of said'adjustable support when moved in the opposite direction, means in combination therewith for shifting a music roll, said adjustable support adapted to be mounted to slide lengthwise of the tracker bar and having an inner end adapted to pass beneath a sheet upon said tracker bar, and an edge engaging member adapted to bear against the edge of said sheet and resilient means, whereb, as said sheet shifts laterally said adjusta 1e member is shifted.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aifix our signatures in the presence of two Wit nesses.

AUGUST SGHUMACHER.

DOLL. Witnesses:

Gnonon STEMPER, J12, Gnome: Scnom, Jr.

five cents each, by addressing the 063M510! of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

